The Chicago Bears are flying high after their victory on Monday Night Football over the Philadelphia Eagles, and now they have to maintain altitude with another aerial opponent that is coming into Soldier Field. The New York Jets are set to play their first game in Chicago since 2018 as the Bears look to start their first winning streak of the year.
In the final game of Week 3, the Bears (2-1) dismantled the Eagles 27-7 behind third-string quarterback Case Keenum. The Bears controlled the clock early on and kept the Eagles at bay before pulling away in the second half thanks to a mix of on-schedule plays on offense and a ferocious defense.
The Jets (1-2), meanwhile, got off to a strong start to the season but are coming off back-to-back losses
to NFC North franchises. Despite the losses, quarterback Geno Smith has been spectacular to begin the year, completing 75.5% of his passes with a 110 passer rating, and their defense has allowed just one offense to eclipse 200 total yards.
With the Bears likely starting a different quarterback for the third game in a row, anything is possible Sunday. Here are our bold predictions for Bears vs. Jets.
1. Tyson Bagent scores rushing touchdown
Though it still isn't confirmed, all signs point to the Bears starting Tyson Bagent with Williams out with Keenum backing him up. Bagent is QB2 for a reason as Ben Johnson stated following Monday's win, and there's no doubt the head coach has a loaded gameplan for the former undrafted quarterback.
We'll likely see a similar approach that the Bears used with Keenum, though Bagent should get his legs more involved. And with how the Bears have scored rushing touchdowns with two different quarterbacks this season, it's fair to wonder if Bagent will find the end zone as well. I believe a play or two will be dialed up with the Bears in striking distance. He already has two career rushing touchdowns from his four starts as a rookie, and No. 3 is coming soon.
2. Garrett Wilson gets a 40-yard reception
The Jets do not have a more dangerous weapon on their offense than wide receiver Garrett Wilson, and the 2022 first-round-pick is off to the best start of his young career. Through three games, Wilson is on pace for a career year with over 1,300 receiving yards and double-digit touchdowns.
Wilson can kill teams with short routes or by blazing past them for big gains. With the Bears' cornerbacks susceptible to smaller receivers with twitchy moves, Wilson will come down with a massive reception of at least 40 yards. It just remains to be seen whether or not it's a big catch and run or if he's streaking down the field with minimal coverage. Either way, Wilson will make his presence known with Breece Hall not playing.
3. Austin Booker and Dayo Odeyingbo each get a sack
The offensive line could be a problem for the Jets on Sunday, primarily when it comes to the left side. Veteran guard Dylan Parham is out with an injury, while left tackle Olu Fashanu is coming off arguably his worst game as a pro. The Lions defense was able to sack Smith five times, and he's been taken down nine times in the last two games alone.
With the left side struggling, the Bears can take advantage of some mismatches by lining up Austin Booker and Dayo Odeyingbo next to one another for maximum effectiveness. We saw some plays with Odeyingbo kicked inside already, and the moves seems to be working for everyone involved. With issues plaguing New York upfront, both Booker and Odeyingbo reach paydirt to get sacks.
4. Bears shut out Jets in first half
These aren't the Jets that are normally the entire laughingstock of the NFL. This is a group with plenty of potential on both sides of the ball, and they play hard as a collective team for their head coach. That being said, the Jets won't have Breece Hall, Adonai Mitchell, or Mason Taylor. They could be forced to become a one-dimensional group for this game and paint themselves into a corner if Smith struggles.
The Bears have started out scorching hot in two of their three games while the Jets have failed to score in the first quarter in two out of three of their own. With so many looks coming from the Bears' defense, New York will play the entire first half without scoring a single point. Even when they get close, they will squander the opportunities with a failed fourth down or even a missed field goal.
This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: 4 bold predictions for Bears vs. Jets
